Locomotive mud ring



May 6, 1930. W. M. SHEEHAN 1,757,340

LocoMoTIvE MUD RING Original Filed Dec. 16, 1926 dfi,

,BY WY Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM M. SHEEI-IAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

'10 GENERAL STEEL CASTINGS CORPORATION, OF GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS, A. COR- PORATION 0F DELAWARE LOCOMOTIVE MUD RING 1Original application filed December 16, 1926, Serial No. 155,323. Divided and this application led November 17, 1927.

`My invention relates to new and useiul improvements in locomotives and more particularly to the foundation ring or mud ring which is a metallic member shaped to correspond to the ground plan of the locomotive iireboX, such as is shown in my copending application Serial No. 155,323, of which this is a division.

The present device is directed particularly to types similar' to those locomotives in which the trailer trucks are arranged to take care of the pulling and buing stresses. It has heretofore been customary to form the deck plate in a separate piece and bolt it to the rearward end of the mud ring.

rThe principal object of my invention is to provide integral means for the attachment of the cab sheets.

Another object is to provide a mud ring in which the inner and outer fireboX sheets may be independently fastened.

A. still further object is to provide a mud ring with shoulders which partially support the ireboX sheets as well as serving for fastening surfaces.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view7 my invention consists in certain novel features ot construction and arrangement ot' parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a top Vplan view of my integrally formed mud ring and deck plate.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the arrangement ot the parts in relation to a locomotive.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the preferred orm'of mud ring shown in Figures l and 2 with the tireboX sheets attached.

Figures Ll, 5 and 6 are sectional views of mud rings ot slightly modified forms.

The numeral l in the drawings indicates y the main trame ot' a locomotive, 2 is a trail- Serial No. 233,836.

truck. Roller or rocker bearings l are mounted on the top surface of the trailing truck to support the rear end ot the locomotive.

Mud ring 5 which is located over the upper edges of the ash pan 6 is provided on its forward end with depending feet 7. These feet 7 are preferably formed integrally with the mud ring and are `adapted to slide longitudi nally in a groove in the main frame l but held against lateral displacement. Along the lower rear edge of mud ring 5 and projecting rearwardly therefrom the deck plate 8 is formed as an integral portion of the mud ring construction. Deck plate 8 comprises side and end members of channel shape cross section and has longitudinal ties 9 of I-shaped cross section. Centrally located on the rear member oi the deck plate 8, a bracket l0 is provided for the support ofthe cab sheet, not shown.

Integrally toi-med brackets ll adapted to bear on rocker supports i are located underneath and at the side adjacent the point of merging between deck plate and mud ring portions oi the frame. Suitable webbing l2 is provided to support the portion of these brackets which extend beyond the main body of the deck plate 8.

Provision is made for an automatic stolrer, not shown, by providing brackets V13 on the forward portion of the upper suriacc ot the longitudinal ties 9.

The lower edges of the inner and outer firebox sheets terminate at the mud ring 5. These sheets are suitably fastened to the mud ring, preferably by rivets.

Figures 8 to 6 inclusive illustrate cross sectional views of various styles of mud rings and the method of fastening the tirebox sheets to this member. The mud ring 5 in Figure 3 is provided on its upper edge with inclined shoulders lil to carry the inner and outer tirebox sheets l5 and 16, respectively. Mud ring 5 is hollow and openings 17 are distributed throughout thc lower surface to allow access to the interior of the ring for the purpose ot'l installing rivets 18 which hold the iirebox sheets in place.

Figure i illustrates a modification in which the lower edges of the iirebox sheets are un-` bent. The mud ring19 is substantially a hollow square in cross section with its lower side open. As in the mud ring 5, separate rivets are used vfor the attachment of the inner and outer irebox sheets 15 and 16 and access for the application yof the rivets is through the open lower side 20.

The mud ring 2l of Figure 5 is similar to mud ring 5 except that the reinforcing bead 22 along the open lower edges is disposed outwardly instead of inwardly as the bead 28 illustrated in Figure 3.

In Figure 6 the mud ring 24 includes inclined side pieces as distinguished from vertical side pieces with inclined shouiders. The inclined side pieces terminate in reinforcing beads 25. Mud ring 24 is hollow and fully open as indicated at 26v along its lower side. Y

It will be noted that each of the mud rings illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 6 presents an inclined surface for the connection of the firehox sheets. The lower edges of the fireboX sheet are bent to coincide with the angle of the surface. This arrangement of parts besides providing separate means of attachment for the individual lireboX sheets also removes a portion of the weight of the lirebox sheets from the rivets. Since there is less strain applied ,directly to the rivets they will maintainri gid engagement between the parts, fora longer period of time without working loose.Y

It is to be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my device may be made and substituted for those herein vshown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention as expressed in the following claims.

l claim: f

l. A locomotive mud ring of substantially hollow cross section having an opening in its lower surface, an inclined shoulder von the upper surface of said' mud ring, a Firebox sheet having its lower edgebent to engage said inclined shoulder, and means extending through said shoulder for the rigid attach'- ment of said fireboX sheet to said mud ring, said means being accessible interiorly of said mud ring.

2. In a locomotive mud ring, an inclined shoulder on the upper surface of said mud ring, a iirebox sheet having its lower edge inclined to over-lie and rest upon said inclined shoulder', and means for the rigid attachment-.of the inclined portion of said firebox sheet to the inclined portion of said mud ing, said means extending through said inclined ,shoulder and the portion of said firebox sheet engaging said shoulder. 4

11n a locomotive. Firebox, a mud .ring of hollow cross section having an opening to the exterior o -f the iirebox, a rebox sheet, a shoulder on said mud ring for the supportof said sheet, and means adapted to fasten said lirebox sheet to said mud ring, said means being accessible from the exterior of the firebox through said opening in the mud ring.

4. In a locomotive freboX, inner and outer fireboX sheets, a mud ring of substantially hollow cross section having shoulders extending beneath the lower edges of said sheets, and means for rigid attachment of said sheets individually to said mud ring, said means being accessible eXteriorly of said fireboX.

5. A locomotive mud ring of inverted U- shape and having a reinforcing bead along each of its lower edges, there being upwardly facing surfaces for supporting lireboX sheets on the legs of said mud ring above said beads. p yIn testimony whereof I hereunto afIiX my signature this 22d day of Oct., 1927.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

